Crete

You win some, you lose some.  Just have to call this one mostly a loss.  Despite what this first photo might betray, our trip to Crete was quite literally a total wash out.  We arrived to brisk windy conditions  that gave us a few hours of sunshine and blue skies, but it quickly gave way to heavy rain clouds.  It was nonstop torrential rain with a healthy dose of gales for literally 5 days straight, day and night.  We tried to get out and see a few things, but for a few days we had no choice but just to stay put holing ourselves up in our not-so winterised villa.  Gratefully we were traveling with our good friends again, so we passed the days playing games, watching movies, reading and doing puzzles.  But as for sunshiny Greece, I call a do-over!

 One of two moments we saw sky the entire week . . .

 Hanging around the villa . . .

 The "heated" pool that couldn't keep warm, but didn't stop these polar bears . . .

 Opa!  Don't worry, those are water shots!

 More games . . .

 More freezing dips . . .

 Squeegeeing the marble patio . . . and making mini homemade ice-lollies

 Ringing in the new year on the roof, in the freezing cold in a tiny village in northern Crete . . . as you do.

 Celebrating Trevon's 8th birthday . . .

 Complete with a custom-ordered cake from a local bakery!

 Birthday night swim . . .

 The nearly 4000 year-old ancient palace of Knossos.  Neat to see, despite the rain . . .

 The rainclouds gave way to blue skies just for a moment on our visit to Iraklion for lunch . . .

 Empty streets and squares of Iraklion . . . we were one of two sets of tourists in the entire city that day!

 A happy restful lunch at the Green Eye in Iraklion

 Not photographed (but felt!): torrential downpour!

 Poseidon breaking the banks!

 A rainy stroll through our sleepy village, Maroula . . .

 A lovely visit to the Arkadi Monastery, really beautiful . . .

 A drive to the south side of the island, yep windy and rainy there too . . .

Our finale Greek meal in Rethmynon.  Crete, it was real.